Lemon Artichoke Pasta

This easy Lemon Artichoke Pasta comes together in 15 minutes and is packed with flavor! The combination of the lemon and artichoke is so bright and delicious in this pesto-like sauce. Your family will love it. And you will love how the fresh herbs in this amazing dinner recipe to life.

The original version of this recipe made it’s debut on MKE waaayyy back in 2008. Honestly, I had forgotten how much I LOVED it until I was going back through some older posts for recipe inspiration.

The pesto that is used in this lemon artichoke pasta was actually a recipe I created to be used in paninis…and it is still delicious in that application as well. But for the carb lover inside of me, I knew it would be killer on top of a pasta as well.

While this recipe is only 357 calories a serving, you could up the healthy-factor a bit by using whole wheat pasta as well. I use it all the time and my kids didn’t even notice when I made the switch 🙂

Where do artichokes come from?

Artichokes are actually the bud of a plant from the thistle family. The plant grows quite large and if not harvested, the bud will eventually become a violet colored flower, which is not edible.

We eat the heart of an artichoke because that is where the “meat” of the vegetable is inside. It is surrounded thistle-like petals. While completely delicious, artichokes can be a bit challenging to learn to prep properly because you are only looking for that delicious heart.

Luckily for this recipe, all you need to do is open and drain already prepped and cooked artichoke hearts from a jar or can!

Use of fresh herbs in Lemon Artichoke Pasta

While both the lemon and artichoke are the stars of this recipe, the use of fresh herbs truly bring this dish alive. And, you have options my friend!

My favorite combination is using fresh cilantro and thyme, but I also know that for some people, cilantro tastes like soap. You can easily substitute flat leaf Italian parsley for the cilantro or even fresh basil. Since basil is a stronger herb, I would cut the amount in half so it doesn’t overpower the dish.

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Lemon Artichoke Pasta

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Delicious and super fast dinner recipe for a busy weeknight….and tastes so fresh!

• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients

1 pound pasta of choice

12 ounces artichoke hearts, drained

1 lemon, juice and zest

8 sprigs thyme, stripped

2 bunches cilantro or flat leaf parsley, leaves only

3 cloves garlic

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

 

Instructions

1.  Cook the pasta according to box directions.

2.  While pasta cooks, process everything but the cheese together in your food processor until it comes together. You do not want a smooth mixture.

3.  Drain pasta, pour into serving bowl and immediately top with the artichoke sauce and parmesan.  Toss until mixture evenly covers the pasta.

• Author: Carole Jones
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/8
• Calories: 357
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 677 mg
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 46 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 11 g
• Cholesterol: 11 mg

Keywords: easy pasta recipe, artichokes, lemon, parmesan cheese